The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Tuesday, June 6, said that three notices to airmen are currently up due to the alerts raised on Mayon, Taal and Kanlaon volcanoes.
*CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio (Screenshot taken from PTV’s Facebook Live)
* In a “Laging Handa” briefing, CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said that airmen are prohibited to travel near the said volcanoes. “In fact po, kalalabas lang noong ating notice to airmen ngayon. Iyong Mayon ho ay nasa Alert Level 2 pa rin at ‘yong ating pong Taal ay nasa Alert Level 1. Mayroon pong isa pa tayong ini-release na kalatas ngayon, itong Kanlaon po ngayon ay nasa Alert Level 1 din po (In fact, a notice to airmen has just been issued. The Mayon is still on Alert Level 2 while Taal is on Alert Level 1. We have just released another notice, this time, for Kanlaon after it was placed on Alert Level 1),” he said. Since Mayon is on Alert Level 2, the CAAP official said that airplanes should fly 10,000 feet above the ground and must avoid travelling near the volcano. “At doon sa mga kababayan natin na malapit doon sa lugar ay six-kilometer radius po, hindi sila dapat dumikit sa bulkan (People dwelling near the volcano must not enter the six-kilometer radius),” he added. “Iyong Alert Level 1 naman po pareho rin po 10,000 feet above the ground. Sa kaso ng Taal, ‘yung isla po bawal at iyong Kanlaon po ay four-kilometer radius from the crater (For Alert Level 1, airplanes must still travel 10,000 feet above the ground. In the case of Taal, people are prohibited to go to the island, and with Kanlaon the public must not enter the four-kilometer radius from the crater),” he added. According to Apolonio, airport personnel from the Airport Traffic Control Towers will guide airmen what route they can safely use in evading the vicinity of the said volcanoes. The CAAP spokesperson advised the travelling public to always remain updated about flight cancellations or flight delays that may occur.